I just read about JLPT and i plan on taking it December.
I'm considering the approach to preparing.
I have all the Kanji (100) and Vocabulary (800) listed.
So, i will, off-course, study each word. Comes out to learning
25 words/week and 4 kanji/week till beginning of Dec.

As far as the Reading/Grammar and Listening comprehension,
what would you recommed is the best way to prepare for this?
I noticed most people's lowest score is from Listening comprehension.
Anyone going to take JLPT4/3/2/1 in San Francisco?

I don't think that it would be an effective learning strategy to base your studies around passing any level of the JLPT, let alone level 4. Aside from as a measure of your progress the lower levels do not have any real value as qualifications either. I don't think that learning 25 words a week from a vocab list for JLPT 4 is going to do you much good.

You can still take the JLPT, and it may be a good idea to do so if it helps your study, but a more effective way to learn would be to get a good textbook or join a class and learn the language in an ordered and structured way. Closer to the time of the test it may also be a good idea to do past papers or revision excercises based on the test, but it is not worth worrying about that yet.

Thanks for the reply! The thing i like about the JLPT is that it gives me a goal and a direction. I read numerous comments that it isn't the most practical way to really learn the language. I may just prepare for the tests on 1 side, and on the other, i will utilize a more real-world approach with combining reading manga/watching jtv/hanging out with japanese people/etc. I will probably go with a Genki type book and Heising for Kanji. But i'll do the rote memory thing too. I just don't want to do that alone and i think that is where you are coming from as well. I scored 90% on the practice test for vocab so i'll probably go for L3. I don't mean so much to emphasize averaging x amount of words or kanji. Its just a way to see how to keep up with what is expected for the test. Appreciate any other feedback.

I really like the JLPT test, it's a great motivator for me to study. I just wish they held it more than once a year. For the listening bits, there are written samples for the audio sections available on the web, if you know some native japanese people maybe you can get them to read it for you and record it. Bear in mind that for the actual test, the audio is a recording of native speakers, talking at native pace (at least it seemed really fast to me) and played just once on a portable stereo. They also setup the dialog and questions so that it's not enough to just pick out key words. I don't know what else to say, other than it's pretty tough

The grammar and vocab parts are pretty straight forward, if you know the vocab and grammar, you'll do fine. The kanji part is straight forward as well, but make sure you can write the kanji, as opposed to just recognize it. Even though the test is multiple choice, they like to do things like put basically the same kanji twice, but in one a stroke extends through another stroke, and in the other it stops at the stroke. You really need to know the kanji well.

Also, if you're going for level 3, it's a lot more than 100 kanji and 800 vocab, those are the numbers for level 4. There's also a level 3 study group being planned on this site, so look for that.